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First ScotRail
| image_filename = 380108 at Haymarket.jpg | widthpx = 300px | franchise = ScotRail 17 October 2004 - 31 March 2015 | logo_filename = Scotrail new logo.svg | nameforarea = Region | regions = Scotland | abbr = SR | secregions = North West England North East England | fleet = 311 | stationsop = 344 | passkm10/11 = 2803.8 million | routekm = 3032.0 | parent_company = FirstGroup | website = www.scotrail.co.uk }} First ScotRailCompanies House extract company no SC185018 First ScotRail Limited is the main train operating company in Scotland. It is owned by First, the company that has operated the ScotRail franchise since 17 October 2004. It operates most commuter and long-distance services within the country as well as some cross-border services to England, including the Caledonian Sleeper. Out of all of First Group's train companies, ScotRail is the largest. History National Express operated the ScotRail franchise from March 1997 until October 2004 as ScotRail. In July 2003 the Scottish Executive and the Strategic Rail Authority announced Arriva, First and National Express had been shortlisted to bid for the new franchise.Shortlist of ScotRail bidders puts three in the ring Herald Scotland 28 October 2003 In June 2004 the Strategic Rail Authority and the Scottish Executive awarded the new franchise to First with the services operated by ScotRail transferring to First ScotRail on 17 October 2004.FirstGroup clinches Scottish rail franchise The Telegraph 12 June 2004First Welcomes Award of ScotRail Franchise First ScotRail Press Release 11 June 2004 On 1 January 2006 Transport Scotland was created to carry out the Scottish Executive's transport responsibilities including including its then newly-devolved powers over rail franchising.Transport Scotland Framework Document ''- Scottish Executive, December 2005'' In April 2008 Transport Scotland granted First ScotRail a three year franchise extension until November 2014.Scot Rail franchise extension agreed Transport Scotland News 3 April 2008FirstGroup Plc statement: Extension of First ScotRail Franchise First ScotRail Press Release 3 April 2008 In September 2008 Transport Scotland announced that all First ScotRail trains, including those previously operated on behalf of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, would be repainted in a new blue livery with white Saltire markings on the carriage ends.ScotRail 25th Anniversary Publicity Materials Transport Scotland The rebranding put less emphasis on the First and is marketed as "ScotRail: Scotland's Railway". The first unit to receive the new livery was 170434, unveiled at Glasgow Queen Street on 22 September 2008. Network Main lines approaching the Forth Bridge on the Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line]] Express trains operate between Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Dundee and Aberdeen. The Highland Main Line links Inverness to the south. Some stretches of main line, such as the Highland Main Line, are single track, and express trains must call at intermediate stations to permit trains coming in the opposite direction to pass. The main lines of Scotland are: *Ayrshire Coast Line *Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line *Fife Circle Line *Glasgow-Edinburgh via Carstairs Line *Glasgow-Edinburgh via Falkirk Line *Glasgow to Aberdeen Line *Glasgow South Western Line *Highland Main Line Glasgow The densest part of the network is the suburban network around Glasgow, with 183 stations, the second-largest suburban rail network in the UK, after London. Much of it is 25 kV AC electrified. Glasgow’s main terminal stations are Central and Queen Street stations. ScotRail operate trains in this area under the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) brand. However, the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport no longer has any input into specifying rail services in the Glasgow area. DMUs and EMUs that are liveried in the carmine and cream livery are being stripped of the Strathclyde logos.Today's Railways Issue 81 Lines in and around Glasgow are: *Argyle Line *Ayrshire Coast Line *Cathcart Circle Lines *Croy Line *Cumbernauld Line *Inverclyde Line *Maryhill Line *Motherwell to Cumbernauld Line *North Clyde Line (now extended to EdinburghAirdrie-Bathgate rail link) *Paisley Canal Line *Shotts Line *Glasgow South Western Line *Whifflet Line *Glasgow Airport Rail Link (cancelled by Scottish Government) The North Clyde Line is now linked to the Edinburgh-Bathgate Line (see Edinburgh, below) with the completion of the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link, creating a new direct link between Glasgow and Edinburgh. There is also a proposal to create a new rail link across the city with the Crossrail Glasgow project. Edinburgh in 2004]] Edinburgh’s suburban network is less dense than Glasgow’s. Edinburgh’s main station is Waverley. The main railway line through the city centre runs in a cutting immediately below Edinburgh Castle. A secondary station is at in the west of the city. Railway lines running north from Edinburgh to Fife and the Highlands cross the Firth of Forth via the Forth Bridge. Lines in and around Edinburgh are: *Edinburgh-Bathgate Line (now incorporated into the North Clyde Line) *Edinburgh Crossrail *Edinburgh-Dunblane line *North Berwick Line *Shotts Line *Waverley Line (currently discontinued until at least 2014) *Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line The Edinburgh rail network is being expanded with the construction of the Waverley Line to the Borders, and the Edinburgh-Bathgate Line has been extended by the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link. A project to open a rail link to Edinburgh Airport was cancelled in September 2007 by the Scottish Government in favour of construction of a station at nearby Gogar which will connect with the Edinburgh tram network to take passengers to the terminal. A proposal to re-open the Edinburgh suburban railway line has been made by campaigning groups.Capital Rail Action Group website Rural lines at Rannoch]] in First ScotRail livery at Inverness]] Rural lines include the scenic West Highland Line, Kyle Line and Far North Line. These lines carry more passengers, mostly tourists, during the summer months, but provide a valuable link and social service during the winter months. Many rural lines are single track. Trains terminating at the coastal towns of Oban and Mallaig connect with the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services to certain islands including Skye and Mull. The rural lines are: *Aberdeen-Inverness Line *Far North Line *Kyle of Lochalsh Line *West Highland Line InterCity & Sleeper services ScotRail operates some services that venture south of the border: principally the Caledonian Sleeper to London Euston along the West Coast Main Line, and a Three times daily cross-country service between Newcastle upon Tyne and Glasgow Central via Carlisle and Kilmarnock. Performance Performance figures for National Express’s last quarter as franchise holder, July to September 2004, were: Performance figures for First Group’s first quarter as franchise holder, October to December 2004, were: First Group started operating the franchise on 17 October 2004. The performance figures released by the Office for Rail Regulation (ORR) are as follows: Note: * The percentage change figures are not the actual increases in % but the percentage increase in the % value. * These values are very similar to the sector performance level. Controversy In June 2009 a report by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport revealed passenger figures from ScotRail contain 7.2 million more passenger journeys than were actually made. Transport Scotland said this gross overestimate did not affect the decision to extend the franchise (the franchise having been extended under controversial conditions in 2008). Rolling stock in the old National Express ScotRail livery at Oban]] First ScotRail inherited a fleet of Class 150, Class 156, Class 158, Class 170, Class 314, Class 318, Class 320 and Class 334s from British Rail as well as Mark 2 carriages and Mark 3 sleepers for use on the Caledonian Sleepers from ScotRail. First ScotRail contracted EWS to haul the Caledonian Sleeper services to London Euston. Class 90s were used south of Edinburgh and Glasgow Central with Class 67s used on the portions to Fort William, Aberdeen and Inverness. A dedicated pool has been created due to the need to fit cast steel brakes. Three Class 90s have been repainted in First ScotRail livery with EWS logos. First ScotRail took the delivery of the last few [[British Rail Class 170|Class 170 Turbostars]] when it took over the franchise.Class 170 scot-rail.co.uk These released the Class 150s for transfer to Arriva Trains Wales in late 2004 / early 2005.Class 150 scot-rail.co.uk During 2005 the Edinburgh - North Berwick Line services were operated by EWS Class 90s with former Virgin West Coast Mark 3 carriages and a Driving Van Trailer. In late 2005 five Class 322s were transferred from One to replace these. In 2007 First ScotRail received eight Class 158s from First Great Western, Northern Rail and South West Trains.Class 158 scot-rail.co.uk Since December 2008 ScotRail has operated a set of DB Schenker Mark 2 carriages on a peak-hour Fife Circle Line service hauled by a Class 67. A second set was operated for a while. In July 2008 Transport Scotland funded the acquisition of 22 three-carriage and 16 four-carriage [[British Rail Class 380|Class 380 Desiros]] with the first entering service in December 2010. These trains operate Ayrshire and Inverclyde services, adding extra capacity and allowed the cascade of existing stock to the new Glasgow to Edinburgh services via the reopened Airdrie to Bathgate line.New Electric Trains for Scotland's Growing Railways Transport Scotland News 11 July 2008 Current fleet Stations The majority of Scotland’s 340 passenger stations are operated by ScotRail under Network Rail ownership. Glasgow Prestwick Airport station is owned and operated by the airport, is operated by East Coast, and Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central by Network Rail itself. ScotRail operates Lockerbie railway station but none of its services call there. Depots First ScotRail's fleet was maintained at Edinburgh Haymarket, Glasgow Shields Road, Corkerhill and Inverness depots. In early 2005 the rebuilt Glasgow Eastfield reopened.Eastfield Depot 1904 -1992 Future In June 2012 the Scottish Government announced that when the franchise is retendered in 2014, the Caledonian Sleeper services will be transferred to a standalone own franchise.£5 billion investment in rail improvement plan Scottish National Party Media Centre 21 June 2012Scottish government sets out rail strategy International Railway Journal 22 June 2012 See also * Transport in Scotland * Transport in Edinburgh * Transport in Glasgow * Category:Transport in Scotland by council area * Caledonian Sleeper * Strathclyde Partnership for Transport * Transport Initiatives Edinburgh * Glasgow Subway * Transport Scotland (government agency) * List of railway lines in Great Britain References *Scottish Government. Scottish Transport Statistics No. 24: 2005 Edition. Accessed on October 2, 2005. *Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Changes to the regulation of Scotland's railways. Accessed on October 2, 2005. *RailBritain.com. First ScotRail fleet size as of December 2004. Accessed on October 2, 2005. External links *ScotRail: Scotland's Railway *ScotRail network map *Map of Glasgow & Edinburgh rail network (National Rail) *First ScotRail Recruitment Website *ScotRail reports - the Scotsman *Friends of the Far North Line Website - Friends of the Far North Line *rail enthusiast site Category:Railway companies of Scotland Category:Companies based in Aberdeen Category:Companies of Scotland Category:Transport in Scotland Category:Rail transport in Scotland Category:First Group railway companies Category:Train operating companies Category:Scottish brands